There are two major trends in technology that are improving the way we do business. The first is a drive toward better usability, which makes tech solutions more accessible to a broader set of users. The second is a sharpening focus on technologies that help us make better decisions.

We know that the one constant for technology development is change. Along with that change comes complexity. We’ve gone from an initial horseless carriage to efficient cars with advanced safety features and solutions that make driving easier. The complexity is increasing multifold, yet the driving experience is only getting easier. With self-driving cars on the horizon, we’ll soon be reading, drafting presentations or even coding software as we ‘drive.’

Hiding the complexity under the hood while providing an easier user experience is transforming how we use software, devices and phones too. Communications systems have gotten infinitely more complex over time, from a standard dial handset connected to a public switch to multi-functional phones connected to an internal PBX and the Internet for VoIP advantages. Today’s communications networks are mixed-vendor environments and each new technology, upgrade or patch only adds to the complexity.

This calls for interoperability testing to verify that a promising new tech solution will in fact work within the business environment and deliver value. And as the speed of development continues to accelerate, the need to more frequently verify interoperability goes up. In an increasingly dynamic world, we need dynamic, continuous testing.

Which leads into the second big trend in technology – enabling better decisions. Back to the car analogy, we’ve seen new devices that help us make wiser driving decisions. From the gas gauge and speedometer in the early days to technology that tells us when our tires are low and gives us driving instructions, cars are getting smarter. And driving has gotten safer, based on tools that help us make better decisions. Think about that rearview camera for when we are backing up.

In communications, simply knowing which phones are working and which are down is a huge challenge. Is there a one-way calling problem? It seems the Atlanta branch office can receive calls, but can’t call out. Businesses have had to test this manually – by having IT staff pick up every single phone and place a test call. Some don’t even bother, taking the passive route by waiting for employees to complain that their phone isn’t working. That’s a risky proposition, especially if your ace salesperson has a phone issue.

What if businesses could quickly determine the status of each phone within the organization through an automated process? Difficult task in a mixed environment, but our recently announced onPOINT service does just that. As the communications network becomes more complex, our customers are seeking solutions that can help them make better decisions.

And it’s not just when a new technology is introduced into that mixed environment either. With today’s dynamic upgrades, continuous updates and security patches, changes to the network are more frequent. Each represents a risk that could cause problems with certain phones, an entire branch or even enterprise-wide issues. onPOINT allows companies to quickly gauge phone status. This can save tremendous time and money in determining that a certain upgrade, for example, caused an issue with those older model phones. Knowing is half the battle and allows IT to quickly fix the issue. onPOINT is a tool that provides insight to make better and faster decisions.